snow day

So I was fifteen years old. Almost sixteen, but not quite, and still riding the bus. One morning I woke up to a St. George flurry of snow. When it snowed in St. George, we would literally run out as it was falling, gather it all into a small pile, and make a miniature snowman before it stopped snowing and the sun came out to melt our fun. The snow never stuck.

But on this day, I slipped and slid over the micro inch of slick snow and ice to the bus stop. I was the only one riding the bus to high school at that point (welcome to having a really late birthday, which is really awesome if anyone was wondering), so I stood and chattered, waiting for Mrs. Lotz to cruise up in the dimly lit, foggy, shivering street. She pulled up, slid the door open, and said, "School's closed. Snow day."

I stared at her.

"There's too much snow. You can go home - school's canceled."

I stared at her.

You see, if the snow sticks at all in St. George, UT, school is canceled. People don't know how to drive, including the majority of the drivers - teenagers. So I numbly waved goodbye and slid my way back home. And then I called all my friends to talk about how rad it was that we didn't have to go to school. "Like, oh my gosh!"

In a freak accident of nature, school is canceled again in St. George today. I thought I'd share a little laugh with my Salt Lake family members and friends - this is enough snow to cancel school and shut down the city. Don't you wish you lived there?

By the way, you have to make up snow days. So our first day of summer was also canceled. Didn't so much like the snow day then.

i am the champion, my friends

So it goes a little like this: I really like WINNING. We're in the middle of our family fantasy NBA league again, and this year, I'm well positioned TO TAKE HOME THE HUGE TROPHY. (If there were a trophy, I would take it home, especially if it were huge.) As you can see, Big Blue (me) is ever languishing in second place. I'm usually there. And it's getting a little old. But I'm determined to stick it out this year. Slow and steady wins the race. Last year, I just got bored and played a bunch of games to be done, sending my ranking spiraling downward. And while it may appear that LP Rocks is kicking my trash, now would be a good time to let him know that he's played THIRTEEN MORE GAMES THAN ME. Thirteen games is plenty of time to make up 160 points. Don't even worry about it.

Now, here's the thing: my star player, Mr. Dwight Howard, is down with an injury. Of course this is the first injury in his life, and it just happens to be on my watch. Also, my second in command, Chris Kaman, injured. Dwight should be on the up and up any day, but Chris is out for the count right now. So what I need from you is some positive thinking sent my way, sent in the direction of my injured boys in particular. Because this is a close race and I need all the support I can get. So say it with me:

I'M GOING TO WIN.

(Not that I'm at all competitive.)

would you rather?

So would you rather lose the power of your thermostat during the winter, and be without heat, or during the summer, and be without air conditioning?

I think we all know what I would rather. In fact, I'm calling it a blessing that the thermostat didn't die in the summer. I would rather put on extra layers and bundle up any day than drip like a leaky faucet. Granted, I just made biscuits not so much because I want to consume them but more because I thought standing next to a warm oven after cooking them sounded nice.

But still, how grateful I am that the thermostat gave up the ghost in the winter not the summer. My tootsies are cold, not scalding, which is much easier to fix - socks. The whole scalding thing involves violent shedding of clothes. It just ain't pretty. Ask Hong Kong.

dreaming

I have a dream.

This dream features a large, clean (scrubbed by anti-bacterial formulas at least once a week) room. The walls in this room are relatively devoid of distractions, save a very legible digital clock and a ginormous flat screen TV on one wall. The walls will not, however, feature random posters that illustrate the proper way to ride a bike, run on a treadmill, or lift a weight above your head. Nor will there be any information regarding how to achieve one's target heart rate plastered about. This room will have its very own thermostat, which will maintain a steady temperature of about 65 degrees, year round. Not only will the room be perpetually (and perfectly) chilly, but it will also feature several ceiling fans, with supplemental floor fans. Large floor fans. In the center of this room, facing the TV, there will be a treadmill, an elliptical machine, and a stationary bike. The room will also be supplemented with a few choice weight machines and some free weights.

And the very best part about this room? It will be mine. I will not have to share sweat with anyone else. I won't have to endure temperatures way beyond those that any human should exercise in. I won't have to inhale the body odor of those who came before. And I won't have to watch ESPN.

Unless I want to.

bridesmaid blues

So my sister got married a couple weeks ago, right? Well she chose really random colors - pink and blue - but luckily, she managed to find a little bridesmaid frock that went with her color scheme (okay, if we're being honest, I did some of the finding). So we get these cute (and inexpensive, which was a plus) little outfits a few months ago, and call it good.

Fast forward to the evening of the reception. There was a moment, as I stood there with my fellow youthful bridesmaids, that I realized

I am old.

I don't even mean that to be like, "Poor me, I'm so old." Actually, for the most part, I really don't mind the whole getting a year older thing. Seriously. But the fact of the matter is - I'm too old to be a bridesmaid! I had this extreme urge to toss my oversized bridesmaid bouquet (seriously - they were huge) to the nearest bachelorette and run home to put something on more age appropriate, sophisticated, if you will (as my friends Stacy London and Clinton Kelly would say).

Nevertheless and notwithstanding, I remained the eldest bridesmaid for the duration of the evening. Luckily, the decor provided nice camouflage. Although being the tallest giraffe with a pink frock on tends to make one stand out anyhow. (As it turns out, I stole all the tall genes in our family.)

I informed the youngest sister, Danielle, who just turned sixteen, that I will not under any circumstances be carrying a bouquet at her wedding. She got all offended until I reminded her that I'd likely be OVER THIRTY.

Then she laughed.

sisters, sisters

So, I'm just wondering - can you tell we're related? :)

Photo courtesy of Funny Face Photography.

i confess...

...I'm having a really hard time thinking of Christmas presents. For anyone. Especially Jess. I'm seriously considering wrapping up a couple of his shirts at the bottom of his closet, throwing on orange in his stocking, and calling it good. And this isn't because I'm bah-hum-bugging. Not at all. This is because I lack creativity. Last year I managed to dream up some fun gifts, but this year, my dreams are filled with chocolate cake. (Wait. They always are.)

Not to worry - Jess has no ideas for me either. I wish I could supply him with some, but I'm pretty content this year. I just want a puppy, but I've relinquished the dog until we live in a more permanent place. That is, until we're not in school anymore and have a decent dwelling to house a mess making animal.

So...if you have any great Christmas ideas, don't bother letting Santa know. Just forward them straight to the empty brain here. Thanks much.

...I'm reading The Host again. Here's the thing - I was at home for my sister's wedding, and I saw it sitting on my mom's file cabinet. And something in my fingers told my brain that it was time to read it again. And folks, if you haven't given it a try, time to be like the little stream. (Give. It a try.) I know that the first approximately 100 pages are somewhat tedious, but if you can get through that, it's really good. A fascinating read really. And by no means is it like the most excellent literature ever written, but it's a good, entertaining read.

...We're not getting a Christmas tree this year. Okay, really though - we're not Scroogeing it here in Durham! I swear! It's just that we head out to Utah in like two weeks, and we realize that the poor little tree will be bedazzled for such a short duration of time before we have to remove its winter outfit and throw it to the curb. I think I'd rather have someone buy "our" tree and give it a home for at least a week longer than we would. Christmas trees deserve love and admiration. That said, I'm now debating - should I decorate our barstool or the kitchen table with Christmas lights? :)